Dumps and quarries: news from down the country

national | environment | news report Sunday August 31, 2008 13:23 by Contaminated Crow

This week: five dumps and three quarries

31 separate objections were lodged with Ballinasloe Town Council against an application for planning permission by One Bio Ltd. for a sludge treatment plant next to the Premier Proteins plant in the town. Objections were lodged by the Poolboy Community Development Council (with around 140 signatures), Creagh Community Development Council (over 100 signatures) and Creagh National School. (Source: Connacht Tribune 29/8/08, p.2)

Local residents will oppose plans to treble the size of the Bord na Mona dump at Drehid, Carbury, Co. Kildare at a hearing in Naas in September, after Bord na Mona applied directly to An Bord Pleanala (ABP) rather than the local council under legislation introduced in 2006. One local resident, involved in the opposition to the original dump proposal, said ‘This is not an extension; it is an effective trebling of the size and there are many concerns already such as the build up of surface water at the existing dump. There may be future applications to extend the dump for all we know.’ (Source: Leinster Leader 28/8/08, p.1)

Over 30 objections were lodged against an application for planning permission by Wilton Waste Recycling to change the use of an existing mushroom compost plant at Carnagh Upper, Kilcogy, Co. Cavan, to an organic materials composting plant. Opposition to the plan has been spearheaded by the Erne Valley Residents’ Association, which held a well-attended public meeting in August and distributed leaflets locally citing concerns over health and pollution, noise, odours and increased traffic. (Source: The Anglo-Celt 28/8/08, p.2)

On August 20th An Bord Pleanala overturned a decision by Kilkenny County Council to permit Kilkenny Block Co Ltd to build a limestone quarry in Clashacrow, Co. Kilkenny. Local group Keep Clashacrow and Carrigeen Beautiful ran a campaign against the quarry over the last two years. (Source: Kilkenny People 29/8/08, p.5)

Local residents complain that illegal quarrying is intensifying at a quarry on Islandmore, an island in the river Foyle off Porthall, Co. Donegal. Donegal County Council granted retention permission for the quarry in December 2000, a decision overturned on appeal by residents to An Bord Pleanala. Local residents complain that quarrying has continued over the last eight years and intensified over the last three months, while Donegal County Council has failed to respond to numerous phone calls and letters of complaint. (Source: Donegal News 29/8/08, p. 13)

Over 70 people attended a recent public meeting in Athleague, Co. Roscommon, to voice concerns over a proposed quarry at Lisnagirra. Residents point out that Athleague already has three quarrIes and cite concerns over traffic, dust and threats to house foundations. (Source: Roscommon Champion 26/8/08, p.4)

An Bord Pleanala’s hearing into a proposed incinerator at Nobber, Co. Meath has been postponed for at least a fortnight to allow adjoining local authorities time to make a submission after the North East Against Incineration group threatened to appeal to the High Court over the issue. (Meath Chronicle 30/8/08, p. 5)

The Ballaghdareen Environmental Action Group decided unanimously at a recent meeting to appeal to An Bord Pleanala against plans by Barna waste for a waste transfer station beside the Ballaghdareen landfill in Aghalustia. Ballaghdareen Environmental Action Group is also planning a public meeting in Ballaghdareen on September 27th to obtain more support for the campaign. (Source: Roscommon Champion 26/8/08, p.11)